Traditional healing practices, factors influencing to access the practices and its complementary effect on mental health in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review

Objectives In areas with limited and unaffordable biomedical mental health services, such as sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), traditional healers are an incredibly well-used source of mental healthcare. This systematic review synthesises the available evidence on traditional healing practices, factors to access it and its effectiveness in improving people’s mental health in SSA. Design Systematic review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses approach. Data sources PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL and Scopus studies published before 1 December 2022. Eligibility criteria Qualitative and quantitative studies reported traditional healing practices to treat mental health problems in SSA countries published in English before 1 December 2022. Data extraction and synthesis Data were extracted using Covidence software, thematically analysed and reported using tables and narrative reports. The methodological quality of the included papers was evaluated using Joanna Briggs Institute quality appraisal tools. Results In total, 51 studies were included for analysis. Traditional healing practices included faith-based (spiritual or religious) healing, diviner healing practices and herbal therapies as complementary to other traditional healing types. Objectively measured studies stated that people’s mental health improved through collaborative care of traditional healing and biomedical care services. In addition, other subjectively measured studies revealed the effect of traditional healing in improving the mental health status of people. Human rights abuses occur as a result of some traditional practices, including physical abuse, chaining of the patient and restriction of food or fasting or starving patients. Individual, social, traditional healers, biomedical healthcare providers and health system-related factors were identified to accessing traditional healing services. Conclusion Although there is no conclusive, high-level evidence to support the effectiveness of traditional healing alone in improving mental health status. Moreover, the included studies in this review indicated that traditional healing and biomedical services collaborative care improve people’s mental health. PROSPERO registration number CRD42023392905.